Two men critical after Sunday afternoon wreck

Two Careflight helicopters landed on Highway 50 East Sunday afternoon between Flint Drive and the Lyon County line to transport two critically injured men to Washoe Medical Center in Reno after a collision at about 3:20 p.m.

The highway was closed from 3:45 p.m. until 4:10 p.m., backing up traffic almost to Graves Lane.

According to witnesses, a Mercury Sable pulled onto Highway 50 to turn left and head toward Carson City, driving directly into the path of a Ford 350 truck which was headed east toward Mound House.

The driver of the truck swerved left, hitting the front left side of the Sable, which was knocked back toward the county line. According to firefighters on the scene, the driver of the Sable was hanging out of the driver’s side window as the car rolled to a stop.

A stripe of blood was left parallel to the painted yellow lines where the driver’s head dragged on the pavement.

The pickup spun after hitting the car, skidding off the highway on the north side, where it rolled once, ending up facing backward but right-side up. There were no major injuries in the Ford, which deployed both air bags. The passenger had slight injuries to her ankle.

Rescue crews from Lyon County and Carson City used a “Sawzall” cutter to remove the Sable’s gas pedal, which has trapped the driver’s foot.

Carson City Fire Department Capt. Adrienne Weintz said the driver was able to give his name and age, and the passenger was able to blink when asked to, but both men were described as critical.

Empty Natural Light and Bud Light beer cans littered the inside of Sable. An investigation into the accident is ongoing.